Empresas y finanzas

Ipsen: Ipsen and The Salk Institute Enter into Strategic Research Agreement



    Collaboration Creates the "Ipsen Life Sciences Program" at the Salk Institute

    Regulatory News:

    Ipsen (Paris:IPN) and The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
    announced today that they will be signing a memorandum of
    understanding setting the framework for the creation of the Ipsen Life
    Sciences Program at The Salk Institute. The mission of the partnership
    is to advance knowledge in the field of proliferative and degenerative
    diseases through fundamental and applied biology research.

    The Ipsen Life Sciences Program will, for a period of up to five
    years, sponsor three categories of research programs through targeted,
    core and innovation grants. Ipsen will provide funding for targeted
    research programs carried out at The Salk Institute by researchers in
    the field of proliferative diseases with a particular emphasis on
    novel therapeutic concepts for the treatment of pituitary adenomas.
    Core grants will support basic research on the contribution of chronic
    inflammation to malignant diseases such as cancer, loss of cognitive
    functions, movement disorders and metabolic syndromes. Innovation
    grants will fund the exploration of advanced scientific concepts.

    Jean-Luc Belingard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ipsen,
    stated: "We are very pleased to have reached this major agreement with
    one of the leading research institutions in the world, with which
    Ipsen has had a longstanding relationship. This agreement confirms
    Ipsen´s commitment to innovation and research, and reaffirms the
    company´s capacity to work with leading worldwide academic centers of
    excellence, both in Europe and in the U.S., to transform knowledge
    into therapies."

    "We are delighted about the establishment of Ipsen Life sciences
    Program at The Salk Institute, which will allow us to advance our
    ongoing research in the areas of cancer biology, mechanisms of
    degenerative diseases and the growing epidemic of maladies associated
    with metabolic syndrome", said Nobel Laureate Dr. Roger Guillemin,
    interim President of the Salk Institute."

    Ipsen´s presence in the US dates back to 1976. Its research center
    located near Boston, MA specializes in the engineering of protein and
    peptide hormones for therapeutic uses. The center´s primary objective
    is to seek in-depth knowledge of hormone dependent pathophysiological
    mechanisms as a basis for the conception of novel medicines. In March
    2005, at the same site as the research center, Ipsen inaugurated a new
    bioprocess science unit dedicated to the engineering of proteins for
    therapeutic purposes.

    About The Salk Institute

    The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California,
    is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to fundamental
    discoveries in the life sciences, the improvement of human health and
    the training of future generations of researchers. Jonas Salk, M.D.,
    whose polio vaccine all but eradicated the crippling disease
    poliomyelitis in 1955, opened the Institute in 1965 with a gift of
    land from the City of San Diego and the financial support of the March
    of Dimes.

    About Ipsen

    Ipsen is an innovation driven international specialty
    pharmaceutical group with over 20 products on the market and a total
    worldwide staff of nearly 4,000. The company´s development strategy is
    based on a combination of products in targeted therapeutic areas
    (oncology, endocrinology and neuromuscular disorders) which are growth
    drivers, and primary care products which contribute significantly to
    its research financing. This strategy is also supported by an active
    policy of partnerships. The location of its four Research and
    Development centres (Paris, Boston, Barcelona, London) gives the Group
    a competitive edge in gaining access to leading university research
    teams and highly qualified personnel. In 2006, R&D expenditure was EUR
    178.3 million, i.e. 20.7% of consolidated sales, which amounted to EUR
    861.7 million while total revenues amounted to EUR 945.3 million (in
    IFRS). 700 people in R&D are dedicated to the discovery and
    development of innovative drugs for patient care. Ipsen´s shares are
    traded on Segment A of Eurolist by Euronext(TM) (stock code: IPN, ISIN
    code: FR0010259150). Ipsen´s shares are eligible to the "Service de
    Reglement Differe" ("SRD") and the Group is part of the SBF 120 index.
    For more information on Ipsen, visit our website at www.ipsen.com.

    Ipsen Forward-Looking Statements

    The forward-looking statements and targets contained herein are
    based on Ipsen´s management´s current views and assumptions. Such
    statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may
    cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from
    those anticipated herein. Moreover, the Research and Development
    process involves several stages at each of which there is a
    substantial risk that the Group will fail to achieve its objectives
    and be forced to abandon its efforts in respect of a product in which
    it has invested significant sums. Thus, in order to develop a product
    which is viable from a commercial point of view, the Group must
    demonstrate, by means of pre-clinical and human clinical trials, that
    the molecules are effective and not dangerous to human beings.
    Therefore, the Group cannot be certain that favourable results
    obtained during pre-clinical trials will be confirmed subsequently
    during clinical trials, or that the results of clinical trials will be
    sufficient to demonstrate the safe and effective nature of the product
    concerned, or that the regulatory authorities will be satisfied with
    the data and the information provided by the Company. Ipsen expressly
    disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any
    forward looking statements, targets or estimates contained in this
    press release to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions
    or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so
    required by applicable law. Ipsen´s business is subject to the risk
    factors outlined in its information documents filed with the French
    Autorite des marches financiers.